Hoosiers make trip to Missouri for non-conference doubleheader

After losing four games to ranked opponents this weekend, the IU women's softball team will travel to Columbia, Mo. to face the University of Missouri Tigers in a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon.\nThe Hoosiers faced two of the nation's top teams this weekend in No. 16 Northwestern and No. 1 Michigan, but the team was unable to come away with a win.\nDespite losing Friday's first game against the Wildcats, IU bounced back in Saturday's rematch but eventually fell 4-2.\nThe Wolverines rode a perfect game Sunday from junior pitcher Jennie Ritter, winning 9-0 against the Hoosiers in the first game of the doubleheader and held off IU in the second, 10-2.\nIU will look to use Missouri as a preparation game for the season's goal: a berth in the Big Ten tournament.\n"Mizzou is a very good team that could easily play in the Big Ten," said IU coach Stacey Phillips. "We're looking at our goal of getting into the Big Ten Tournament. We have to try and compete with the upper hand."\nIn 2005, Missouri compiled a 3-1 record against teams in the Big Ten, with wins against Iowa and Penn State.\nThe No. 18 Tigers are 32-7 on the season and are coming off a 13-inning, 3-2 victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders.\nThe Hoosiers will look to the bats of sophomore Tory Yamaguchi and junior Lauren Hines, who combined for four hits last weekend, as well as the rest of the IU offense to produce runs against one of the best defenses in the country.\n"Our goal is to always play IU softball and play our own game," Yamaguchi said.\nPart of the Hoosiers' game is their strong defense, which relies heavily on the pitching staff.\nAlthough the IU aces allowed 33 runs in four games this weekend, they were going up against a very good Northwestern team and the best team in the country in Michigan.\nJunior Mariangee Bogado and senior Katie Witham split duties in the first game against the Wildcats while junior Megan Roark pitched a complete game during the second game.\nRoark also made appearances in both games against Michigan, going four innings in the first game and one in the second.\n"We have to be ready to go every game," Roark said. "Every game really counts, and we just have to play our best."\nAfter their trip to Missouri, the Hoosiers will return to Bloomington for another weekend home stand. IU will face Minnesota Friday and again Saturday and Wisconsin in a doubleheader Sunday.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Kevin Dwire at kdwire@indiana.edu.